The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-09-22

crushed like an egg-BheH IN, the nrst
shock of the contending armies. At Bull
Run, the first great battle of the civil
war, the confederates were marshalled
and led by Joe Johnston, and Beaure-
gard, and Stonewall Jackson, and Bee,
and Kirby Smith and others who had
held commissions in the regular army Of
the United States
Had those officers been placed under
arrest when their designations were tend
cred, the arrests would have been re-
spected. And even had they been
broken, and had the arrested officers
gone over to the enemies, the act would
have been desertion, punishable accord
ing to the laws of war. but the arrest
would not have been broken, and the
confederacy would have been left with
out officers capable OF organizing and
commanding armies,
The mistake of President Lincoln was
without parallel in history, but for all
that Mr. Lincoln was great man; no
one doubts that his intention was patri-
otic
At Appomatox, in spirit of splendid
| generosity, Grant would not take the
sword OF Lee, which would have been
as proud trophy as all the flags taken
on the battlefield. But Grant did not
stop there. He never did anything by
halves. He gave back to the confeder-
ates. after the surrender of Lee, their
artillery, cavalry and quarter-master
horses. They were our property by the
laws of war, but Grant gave them back
to the men who an hour before stood ar
rayed in arms against the sovereignty OF
| the Republic; and to this hour no man
has uttered word of censure against
Grant for that act, and the civilized world
applauded his wise and generous con-
duct. And Sherman, not to be outdone
| by Grant, went several bow shots furth r
than Grant ever dreamed OF. He signed
a convention with Joe Johnston, said to
have been drawn by John @. Brecken-
ridge, wherein it was stipulated that the
armed Confederates under Johnston
should be allowed to march back to their
respective state capitals with flags flying
and drums beating their arms to be de-
posted in their state arsenals
The action of General Sherman was
repudiated by President Lincoln, and the
| unconditional surrender of JOhnston's
army was the result; but no one ever
doubted the loyalty of Sherman, because
OF his mistake, an TO daY he is one OF
the prime favorites of the public.
THE PENSIONS.
1t is further charged that President
| Cleveland vetoed general pension act.
So he did; and so did President Grant
veto a general pension act. The men
who started all this clamor against Cleve-
land, were silent when Grant did the
same thing. The only difference being
that Grant was Republican, and so are
the men who raised the clamor against
Cleveland, who is Democrat
There are those who seem to believe
that the National Treasury is a sort OF
| Aladdin's lamp, and that the President
| is in possession of Aladdin's magic ring,
which it is only necessary'to rub against
| the lamp to cause streams of money to
| flow from the treasury into the pockets
OF those who will take the trouble to
hold their pockets open wide enough to
let the dollars pour in. But, after all,
every well has its bottom, and when it is
reached the well is dry. And it may
not be amiss to remember that every dol
lar in the treasury has been collected
from the people in the way OF taxes, and
this fact is not wholly unworthy OF con-
sideration.
l am in favor OF giving liberal pensions
to the men who put in jeopardy health,
limb and life to maintain the integrity
and glory of our country. But would it
not be wise to give the country chance
to,live also?
Grant and Cleveland each vetoed
general pension law and each did what
he believed to be his duty. Grant has
gone, but Cleveland stands at the helm
| of the ship of state, and it is safe under
| his guidance. He is as brave and true
| as Andrew Jackson, and as the people
stood by jackson, SO should they stand
by Grover Cleveland.
1t has even been charged that the
President is not friend OF the soldiers
Not friend OF the soldiers aver, and
will prove, that Grover Cleveland has
done more for the soldiers than any other
President since the. close OF the Civil
War.
This paper, which you see in my
hand, is carefully prepared statement
made from the public records by the
Honorable q. II. Barger, L. :. Pension
Agent for Ohio, and the facts am about
to state are furnished by him.
During the twelve years OF the admini-
strations OF Grant and Hayes, iii which
period the Republicans controlled both
Houses OF Congress eight years those
two presidents approved 736 special pen
sion acts while Cleveland in only two
years-the lower House Democratic
proved S63 special pension acts or III
more than Grant and Hayes approved in
twelve years.
Again, during the last two years OF Re-
| publican administration, under President
Arthur, l29,5l7 pension certificates, OF all
kinds, were issued; but i'll two years OF
President Cleveland's administration
26S,697 pension certificates were issued,
or more than twice as many as had been
issued under Republican rule in the
same period OF time.
When Mr.. Barger took charge sof the
United States Pension Agency for Ohio,
in August, 1855, there were 81 800 pen
sioners in this agency, but under Demo-
cratic rule the number has increased to
39,500 by August, 1887, being an increase
of 5000 in two years.
During the year ending June 80 1888,
of Republican rule, the pensioners of
the Ohio agency received $566S, l5030 /;
for the year ending June 80, 1887, the
| Ohio pensioners received $7,4S3, ,2l7.3S /;
or an increase of nearly two millions.
Under Republican rule, for the year end
| ing June 80, 1885, the cost OF paying
about five and half millions to pen
sioners was $23,562.99; while under
Democratic rule for the year ending June
| 80, 1887, the cost of paying about seven
and half millions was $1,000 less than
the Republicans expended in 1883, when
the Ohio pensions only amounted to
about five and half millions.
The Democratic administration has
been generous to the soldiers and econ